Colder Weather
by Insolent Witch
Summary: She knew he had to go, he wished he could stay


_**Title**: Colder Weather (1/1)  
><strong>Fandom<strong>:DCU, Bat-Family Centered  
><strong>Characters<strong>: Dick/Barbara  
><strong>Word Count<strong>: Around 1053 words with the song  
><strong>Rating<strong>: PG  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: I don't own them  
><strong>Synopsis<strong>: She knew he had to go, he knew he wished he could stay  
><strong>Feedback:<strong> Always loved and appreciated, even if you just want to say that you read it.  
><strong>Author's Notes<strong>: _This is my first ever Songfic, so I'm hoping I did it right. The song used was Colder Weather by the Zac Brown Band. This is set just after Dick leaves Gotham.__

_She'd trade Colorado if he'd take her with himCloses the door before the winter lets the cold in,And wonders if her love is strong enough to make him stay,She's answered by the tail lightsShining through the window pane_

Barbara sighed as she stared out the window into the dark Gotham night. The moonless sky echoing the emptiness she felt inside as she watched him disappear yet again. This time he was running away to Bludhaven, but in some ways she knew it wasn't his fault. A spirit like his couldn't be contained or confined. Unfortunately that meant that she couldn't keep him, no matter how much it tore her apart to watch him go. She told herself that she was really done with him this time, but even then she knew it was a lie. With Dick that would always be a lie. She couldn't resist him and deep inside she understood that they would always, always hold a part of each other dear, but nothing could hold him down. He had told her he would visit, she told to him no. It broke her heart, he broke her heart, but that was nothing new.

_He said I wanna see you againBut I'm stuck in colder weatherMaybe tomorrow will be betterCan I call you thenShe said you're a ramblin' manYou ain't ever gonna changeYou got a gypsy soul to blameAnd you were born for leavin'_

Three Months Later:

_At a truck stop diner just outside of Lincoln,The night is black as the coffee he was drinkin',And in the waitress' eyes he sees the same 'ol light shinin',He thinks of ColoradoAnd the girl he left behind him_

He shook the snow off of his jacket as he stepped into the diner. Officer Grayson had been pulling a double shift in snow that was two feet deep and still coming down. He gives his coffee order to the pretty redheaded waitress with bright green eyes and he can't help but think of her. Barbara, he loved her more than he loved anyone, but even for her he couldn't stay. He had to strike out on his own, become his own man. He would never be the kind of man she deserved if he didn't first prove to everyone, especially himself, that he was indeed a man. Still, as he thought about the look in her eyes the last night he saw her the blizzard's chill engulfed him; it's icicle fingers snaking up into his soul, penetrating the warmth of the diner. When he left she had told him she understood, he couldn't be caged and that it was part of who he was, but no matter how far he ran he couldn't escape the memory of her. He knew he had to call her.

_He said I wanna see you againBut I'm stuck in colder weatherMaybe tomorrow will be betterCan I call you thenShe said you're a ramblin' manYou ain't ever gonna changeYou got a gypsy soul to blameAnd you were born for leavin'(born for leavin')_

_Well it's a winding roadWhen you're in the lost and foundYou're a lover, I'm a runnerAnd we go 'round 'n 'roundAnd I love you but I leave youI don't want you but I need youYou know it's you who calls me back here, baby_

He hung up the phone in his apartment knowing that Babs was right. There was nothing left to say between them. And, yeah, there really weren't any roads into Gotham right now. The night was frigid and frozen, and he wished his heart could feel the same way. He missed her so badly, he loved her so much. He hated leaving her. Maybe she was right though, maybe they really were over. Maybe she really was done with him this time. Maybe he'd hurt her too badly. He knew he should leave her alone. He knew they were over, but even then he knew it was a lie. With Babs it was never really over. Just knowing she was there beckoned him to Gotham like a Siren's Song. She held a piece of him and without her just couldn't be whole, but he wasn't sure if right now he could be still. There was still so much he had to do. Maybe he'd just leave her alone until he knew he was ready. There was no reason to hurt her anymore than he already had. But the world seemed so much colder without her.

_Oh I wanna see you againBut I'm stuck in colder weatherMaybe tomorrow will be betterCan I call you thenCause I'm a ramblin' manI ain't ever gonna changeI got a gypsy soulAnd I was born for leavin' (born for leavin')_

_When I close my eyes I see youNo matter where I amI can smell your perfume through these whispering pinesI'm with your ghost againIt's a shame about the weatherBut I know soon we'll be togetherAnd I can't wait 'til thenI can't wait 'til then_

She sighed when she hung up the phone. When she shut her eyes she could imagine the way he smelled, the way his presence warmed the room. She could envision his smile shining like summer sun, burning her doubts away until all she saw was him, and them, and forever. But her eyes opened again and she saw winter through the window. She had to told him not to come tomorrow, even if the weather let up. Seeing him right now would only make the pain worse, make her winter grow colder. She had to find a way to make her heart like the weather. She had to become solid as the ice outside so she could survive. She knew that her Summer Robin would come again, but she had to let him get out whatever leaving was left in his system. She had to let him finish what he started. But until he did it would always be winter for her. And as long as she was away from the warmth of his sunlight her heart would always stay stuck in colder weather.


End file.
